Friday letters: Road wars, oil exports, Medicare

Copyright 2015: Houston Chronicle

Updated 6:52 pm, Thursday, September 17, 2015

Photo: Bill Pugliano, Stringer

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The General Motors world headquarters building is shown September 17, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan. Mary Barra, Chief Executive Officer of General Motors, and Mark Reuss, President of GM North America, held an Employee Town Hall Meeting and a question & answer session with the news media today to discuss GM's $900 million settlement with the Justice Department over GM's ignition switch recalls. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images) less

The General Motors world headquarters building is shown September 17, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan. Mary Barra, Chief Executive Officer of General Motors, and Mark Reuss, President of GM North America, held an ... more

Regarding "Senate GOP leader calls for end to oil export ban" (Page D1, Thursday), I am old enough to remember the oil shortage and gas lines of the '70s.

This oil glut will end some day, sooner if we start exporting oil, later if we don't, but end it will. The only people who will win big from exporting oil will be the companies that will export that oil and the congressmen they support with their campaign contributions.

Regarding "GM near deal on criminal inquiry" (Page D1, Thursday), it seems that it was a good thing the federal government used stimulus funds to bail out General Motors so that they could still be viable and held responsible for criminal activity involving any safety defects with their ignition systems.

If GM would have had to file bankruptcy, that would have put any awarded damages from any lawsuits into question. And since the federal government purchased GM stock instead of giving GM a loan, the taxpayers will be taking another hit from falling stock prices.

But doesn't there seem to be a conflict of interest since the federal government owns stock in GM and is also responsible for prosecuting any of those GM executives?

Regarding "5 percent of workers use half of health dollars" (Page D1, Sept. 4), the finding that 5 percent of employees use 55 percent of Texas employers' health care budget shouldn't be a surprise. In fact, these numbers are representative of a nationwide problem.

Individuals will always vary widely in the amount of health care they use and spend, but there are reforms to insurance and health care payment systems that could better curb these disparities. Texas needs to expand Medicaid, and integrate conventional fee for service payment systems with capitation.

First, Medicaid expansion under the ACA is going to be better for curbing health-care expenditures in the long run. Allowing Texas to retain the nation's title for most uninsured isn't going to be good for those who have insurance either. The cost burden of health is simply placed on fewer people, and preventative medicine can never reach those kept outside of the system before it's too late.

Second, conventional fee-for-service reimbursement of physicians and hospitals is also to blame for extreme health care costs. Fee-for-service incentivizes a high volume of patients and productivity, but in health care, more isn't always better.

Capitation, a system that pays providers a set amount for each enrollee, has a place in bringing down costs. Capitation incentivizes efficiency and rewards cooperation, both of which Texans deserve to get from their health care providers.

Regarding "End executions" (Page B12, Thursday), the editorial clearly outlined the bizarre nature of many of our death penalty trials. It's sad that a mentally ill man was given the death penalty by the jury because of his "frightening" courtroom behavior.

Mentally ill suspects should not be given the death penalty as they are not competent or responsible for their behavior. Life in prison without parole would protect society. There is no need to kill them.

Regarding "'No guns' signs are removed from zoo" (Page A1, Tuesday), the reason law-abiding citizens take the concealed handgun license course and become legally qualified to conceal carry in public is out of fear that criminals who conceal carry anyway can rob, rape or murder any person.

Regarding "HP to jettison up to 30,000 jobs as part of spinoff" (Page D1, Wednesday), once again, the employees take the hit for a board that has made disastrous decisions, and spent money unnecessarily.